Pindi mill owners increase flour price by Rs125 per kg

Naanbai association threatens to further hike roti price

RAWALPINDI:

Mill owners have further increased the price of flour by Rs125 per kilogram in violation of the government’s notified rate.

The crisis of flour and wheat has reached new heights after the shortage of supply from mills.

After flour mills, the owners of 550 Atta Chakkies across the district have also increased the price of flour to Rs125 per kg.

Meanwhile, the Naanbai association has announced that if the price of wheat and flour was not reduced by December 30, prices of roti, naan and paratha will be increased by Rs10 from January 1.

Naanbais said that they cannot sell roti and naan at government-approved rates as they are buying flour at high prices.

There has also been a crisis of subsidized flour bags in the market.

The prices of flour and wheat have continuously been increasing in the last couple of days. In the open market, the price of a 100-kilogram wheat bag is available at Rs9,000, while the bag of maida has reached a record high of Rs10,500.

In the open market, a 15 kg bag of flour is being sold at Rs1,875 at the ex-mill rate, while flour dealers sell it for Rs1,910 and Rs1,940.

The government-subsidised flour is being sold at Rs1,295 per 20 kg while the 10 kg bag is being sold at Rs650.

The flour mills association said that they were supplying 180,000 subsidised atta bags per day in the entire district and now it has been increased to 200,000 per day.

Flour Dealers’ Association President Zahoor Bhatti said that wheat from the government quota was being sold in black and at a higher price. The price of wheat has reached Rs4,200 per mound and the supply of subsidised flour has also been reduced.

Atta Chakki Union Vice-President Waheed Qureshi said that they were getting wheat between Rs115 and Rs120 per kg from the open market.

“The grinding cost of one kg is Rs12. Resultantly, Chakkis are forced to sell flour at Rs125 per kg. If the price of wheat is not reduced, it will increase further next week,” the union leader said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2022.